This invention relates in general to business machines and, more specifically, to managing business machines.
Business machines such as copiers, printers, fax machines, scanners, and multi-function devices are integral to any business operation. Service and supplies are needed to maintain proper operation of these business machines. An office worker typically makes the service calls and orders supplies for the business machine, which is a laborious process.
Maintenance contracts often cover service calls for business machines. These maintenance contracts may run for a period of time or a number of copies, prints, faxes, and/or scans. The business machine may include an external or internal device that monitors some operation of the business machine. A meter on this device is read each month, or some other period, and that reading is manually reported back to the maintenance organization. For example, a questionnaire may be sent to the office worker to add the meter reading and fax that questionnaire back. On that same questionnaire, the office worker may order supplies for the business machine.
In the appended figures, similar components and/or features may have the same reference label.